Recording means



June 17, 1930. F. CAPPS RECORDING MEANS Filed June 7, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. flan/1; L. ap

A TTORNEY June 17, 1930. CAPPS 1,765,051

RECORDING MEANS Filed June 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J32 if INVE TOR.

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Patented June 17, 1930 FRANK CAPPS, @F MILFQRD, CONNEGTICUT, ASSIGNOR T(JQIIUIA JPEQNGGH sour, INQ, 0F BRIDGEJPQBT, CONNECTICUT, A CQRPQEATIONOF NEW RECORDING- MEANS Application filed June F, 1926. Serial No.114,119.

This invention relates to means and methods for recording 'sound and hasparticular reference to electrical means and methods for this purpose. v

An object of the invention is to provide a sound recording method and asound recording means for carrying out the method, which method andmeans provide for complete control of the recording operation.

A further object is to provide an electrical sound recording means, withresilient restraining elements which operate to hold the armature of therecording means against free movement. 7 T

An additional object is to provide a sound recording means withresilient restraining elements, whichare in contact with the point ortool carrying part of the recording means and at least one of which iscompressed by so movement of the said means during the recordingoperation. 7 A more specific object is to provide an electrical soundrecording device with resilient elements, as, for instance, rubber aspads, in contact with the armature of the recorder and at least one ofwhich must be compressed by movement of the armature during therecording operation. lhese pads provide for the control of the armature,to which carries the recording stylus and prevents excessive, or'toofree movement of the armature, and in this way prevents blasting, etc.

Still another object is to provide an improved mounting for the armatureof the recording device.

A further object is to provide an improved mounting for the recordingmeans as a unit. Further objects are to generally improve recorders, tosimplify their construction and operation, to render them more sturdyand less liable to get out of order and to provide a recorder which maybe easily and cheaply constructed. Other and additional objects willappear from a consideration of the following descriptlon, taken 1nconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein satisfactory limitedto the specific structure'shown, since i many changes in theconstruction and arrangement of the parts will readily suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art. Therefore, reference must be hadto the appended claims for a definition of the limitation of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side eievational view showingthe recorder in full lines and in cutting position, the support for therecorder being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a view looking to the right in Fig. 1, the supporting meansbeing omitted;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, substantially on the line 33 ofFig. 4;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view looking into the under side of therecorder;

.Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view substantially on the line 55 ofFig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view substantially on the line 66 of Fig.4;

Fig. 7 is a-front elevation of a slightly modified form, showing adifi'erent construction of armature and restraining means;

Fig. 8 is an elevational view looking into the under side of therecorder shown in Fig.- 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view on the line 1010 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view on the line 11-11 ofFig. 8;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view through the armature and restraining meanstherefor of a further modified structure; and

are

ri ht angles to that figure.

eferrin in detail to that form of the inventions own in Figs. 1 through6 of the drawings,1 indicates a recorder in its entirety,.while 2indicates fragmentarily the sup rting means therefor which includes a tiimb screw 3, adapted to be threaded into an o enin in the mountingplate 4 of the recor er. his mounting plate includes a rear section 5provided with depending ears 6 enlarged at their lower ends to providebearings 7 for a shaft 8. Disposedon the shaft 8, and between .and inabutting relation, with the bearings 7 is a sleeve 9 rovided with aprojection 10 carrying at its free end a plate 11. Projecting upwardlyfrom sleeve 9 'when the recorder is in operative position, as shown inFi s. 1 and 2, IS a finger 12 which is rigid with t e sleeve. Thisfinger as will more fully appear, co-operates in the elevating or movinginto inoperative position, of the recorder.

Mounted in the ears 6 and above and forwardly of shaft 8 is a secondshaft 13. One end of said second shaft has a hand piece 14 securedthereto to move therewith and this hand piece carries a cam 15- adaptedwhen the hand piece is rocked to the left (Fig. 1) to engage the finger12 and rock it and the entire recording apparatus about the shaft 8,thereby moving the recorder to inoperative position. Stop pin 16 limitsthe movement of the hand piece in one direction. A second stop pin 17 ispositioned to engage a lug 18 on the hand iece and limit movement of thehand piece n the opposite direction.

the shaft 8 to a considerable extent.

As is readily observable in Fig. 2, the hand piece 14 has a sleeveportion .19 which abuts against the outside of one of the ears 6, andpositioned. on the opposite side of this ear, and in abutting engagementtherewith is a collar 20 secured to shaft 13. Longitudinal movement ofshaft 13 relative to the remainder of this structure is in this wayprevented, and the cam 15 maintained in proper relation to finger 12 soas to auto-. matically come into engagement therewith upon the handpiece being shifted as above described. a

The recorder 1 has free movement about This is necessary when recordingsince it permits of the recorder moving up and down to comensate for anysimilar movement or irreguarity in thewax tablet 21 (Figs. 1 and 2).

To provide means for regulating the depth of out being made, a bar 22 issecured in extension 23 formed on the sleeve 9. Adjustablelongitudinally of this bar is a weight 24 adapted to be held in thisadjusted position by means of a thumb screw 25.

. Carried by the supporting plate 11 is the 1,7es,os1

recordin means proper, which includes a pair of field magnets 26 and 27,including coils 26 and 27, energized by direct current and each havingtheir respective poles in the same direction. For the purpose ofillustration, it will be assumed that the north ole of each of themagnets is at the lower or orward end of the magnet, and that the southpole of each of the field magnets is at the upper end thereof. Currententers the coils of the magnets through wires 28 which are carried bybinding posts 29 insulated from the mounting plate 4, as at 30, and awire 31 connects the coils of the magsired, the magnets 26 and 27 may bepermanent magnets and the coils 26" and 27 a would then be dispensedwith. 1

These magnets 26 and 27 include cores 32 which have their ends reducedas at 33 and 34. These ends are screw-threaded as indicated, and theends 33 pass through openings in the plate 11, while the ends 34 passthrough openings in a hea plate 35. heavy plate being dispose as it isin contact with the north pole ends .of the magnets has the samepolarity. Plate 35 is cut away centrally and provided with'an upstandinglip 36 which surrounds an armature or tool carrier 37. Since the plateis magnetized, it has an influence on the armature and this influencebeing at the edges of the armature, tends as little as possible to movethe armature on its pivots. Armature 37 is mounted on pivot screws 38(see Fig. 5) on which it is adapted to move during the recordingoperation.

Core pieces 39 are clamped against the south pole ends of the magnets 26and 27 by being dis osed between such ends of the magnets an haveextensions 40 which are disposed within speaker coils 41that is,electro-ma netic coils in the amplifying telephone circuit. Extensions40 will of course both be south pole magnets, in view of theirrelationship to magnets 26 and 27. a

The speaker coils 41 are energized either by pulsatory or alternatingcurrent when the device is in operation. The a paratus is polarized bythe field coils and t e armature and cutting tool are influenced by anycurrent passing through the telephone coils whether it be fluctuationsof a continuous This a the plate. 11. These cores 39 I are held in placeby adjustable screws 45,

adapted to be'secured in their adjusted positionby means of jam nuts 46.The pads are, of course, of very soft rubber'and as the armature isoscillated on its pivots, one of flexible steel wire.

the pads is compressed as the armature is moved from the other andtoward the core extension which is above the other. Since both ofthesepads are in contact with the armature in the normal position of thelatter, the armature is securely held against any free movement, and inaddition, thesepads act to restrain the armature, preventing excessivemovement thereof under the influence of the magnets during the recordingoperation. Moreover, these pads tend to move the armature to a neutralposition. It is necessary to so restrain the armature in order that therecords ultimatelyproduced may have the proper tone quality. When thearmature has a free or pendulum like movement, the small vibrations arelost and a true record cannot be obtained. Rubber especially lendsitself to this function, since a thin piece is used and may be readilycompressed'to a slight degree but after that is comparativelyincompressible and strongly resists further movement of the arniature.These adjustment screws are-supported by means of triangularly-shapedplates 47 (see Fig. 4) secured tothe heavy plate 35 by any suitablefastening means 48.

Referring nowto Figs. 7 through 11, it will be noted that I haveprovided a modified means for supporting the restraining 'pads or discsin place, and in addition, a

novel form of armature or tool carrier 50 and supporting means thereforis disclosed. The remainder of the structure of these figures is thesame as that in the figures previously described.

The armature 50 comprises a frame work or skeleton of brass having acentral portion 51, and comprising side bars 52, also of brass,connected by end pieces 53 of iron or other material which will beattracted by the magnets. The central portion 51 of this armature hasits ends reduced, as at 54, and set into recesses 55in the plate 56,which corresponds to plate 35 in Figs. 1 to 6. The reduced ends 54 ofthe central portion 51 of the armature are tapped and screw-threaded toreceive the screw-threaded ends of mounting means 57, which arepreferably pieces of The non-threaded ends of these pieces 57 aresoldered in place, as at 58, so that they are rigidly held.

In the operation of the armature, this mounting means holds it againstfree movement, and in addition, prevents any rattling due to relativemovement between the armature and its supporting means. As the arma-'ture is rocked, due to the influence of the magnets,- these connectingpieces, which, as stated above, are preferably,al though notnecessarlly, of flexible steel wire, mustbc .flexed back and forth.Being rigidly sccured in place, there can of course be no soundgenerated, due to movement'of the wire .or due to movement between thewire and the supporting means or armature. This means of mounting thearmature may be used in connection with each of the modifications shown.

Cushions or pads of rubber 59 are rovided, and are held in contact witheac of the iron cross-bars 53 of the armature 50 by means of a bowedpiece 60, preferably formed of brass. As shown, piece 60 has a centralportion upwardly curved, or bowed, and disposed above the portion 51 ofthe armature, while its end portions are substantially flat and are heldin contact with the pads or discs 59 by means of adjustable screws 61which pass through plates 62, similar to the plates 47 of the form shownin Figs. 1 to 6. Screws 61 are adapted to be held in their adjustedpositions by means of nuts 63.

As shown in this modification, the plate 56 has an upwardly extendinglip 64 at each end of the armature and in line, or substantially inline, with the iron cross-pieces 53 so as to influence'them from theends and not tend to move the armature either up or down. Moreover, inthis figure, movement of the armature will depend upon the compressionof the pads 59 as in the case of the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 6. r

In Figs. 12 and 13, a further modification of supporting or restrainingpads is shown. These pads 64 are, preferably, in the form of strips ofsoft rubber received in sockets or grooves 65in cross-bars 66.Adjustable screws 67 support these crossbars and are adapted to hold thestrips 64iin contact with the under-side of the armature or tool holderat each side of its pivot. Nuts 68 hold the screws in their adjustedpositions. As shown, these screws pass through screw-threaded openingsin plates 69, similar to the plates 17, of that form of the device shownin Figs. 1 through Also, in this modification, the armature 70 issupported upon pivot screws 71 identical with pivot screws 38 of thefirst form of the invention.

While the restraining means has in each instance been disclosed as arubber pad, it is to be understood that this is the preferred form ofthe invention, it having been determined that while metallic springs maybe' used with more or less success, and while other compressible meansmay be used with some success rubber is the preferred means.

Also, it Wlll be understood that while the mounting of the armature onelements,

which. must flex to form movementof the armature, has been disclosedonly in Figs. 7 through 11, this mounting of the armature may be used inany of the other figures with equal success.

Furthermore, although the invention has been described as a recordingapparatus, it will be understood that the identical structure shown maybe used for reproducing sound from a phonogra h record orthe like.

Having thus describe the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a recording device, a pivoted armature, cushion means at each sideof the pivot of said armature, and adjustable means for maintaining saidcushion means in contact with the armature in the normal position of thelatter for preventing free movement thereof about its pivot, andnon-magnetic.

means supporting said adjusting means.

2. In a recording device, a movable armature, resilient meansrestraining said armature a ainst free movement, and means'for adjustlngsaid resilient means, and non magnet-ic means supporting said adjustingmeans.

3. An armature for electric recording device, the same comprising askeleton frame ortion and including a central mounting side portions ofnon-magnetiza le material and connecting end portions of magnetizingmaterial. I

4. A device as in claim 3, the central and side portions being of brassand the connecting end portions being of iron. I

5. In combination, a pair of magnets having their like poles disposed inthe same direction, a plate influenced by said magnets, said platehaving an opening, a pivotally mounted armature disposed in said openinand normallfy lying in a lane parallel .wit the plane 0 said plate,amping means engaging the armature, and means supporting the dampingmeans, said supporting means including non-magnetic means carried by theplate.

6. The combination as in claim 5 wherein said damping means is in theform of strips of resilient material projecting from rigid holders. 7

7. The combination as in claim 5, said supporting means includingadjustable means or moving the damping means toward and from thearmature.

8. In combination, a pivoted armature, means for controlling movement ofthe armature about its pivot, said means including rubber stripscontacting with the armature at each side of its pivot, non-magneticholders for said strips and adjustable means supporting the holders.

9. In combination a pair of magnets having their like poles disposed inthe same direction, a plate influenced by said magnets

